Watched Discontinued
by Ishikawa Akira
Summary: It doesn't bother him that he was being watched, or rather, stalked for most of his days by her. And soon, he finds himself fascinated. Intrigued, mesmerized, as he learns about her true personality, one that no one had bothered to find. KingxDeuce. Post.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Notes:**_

Why hello everyone.

Quite a while since I've published a story here, and my AcexDeuce isn't working out so...

OTP TIME YEAAAH.

Bash KingxDeuce all you want, really, but I love this couple to death.

*Not afraid of all the AcexDeuce shippers here*

I know this is OOC. I know Deuce is 'innocent' to a fault. I know King will probably never behave like this.

But _**this**_ is how I interpret them.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

He knows she's watching.

It's not like he feels disturbed by her behavior; it actually calms him down, knowing that _she_ is studying him.

Specifically, it helps him relax. His focus becomes sharp, his reflexes faster, and that stern expression on his face manages to soften a little when he is satisfied with the results of his training.

"_Why do you always observe me like that?"_

He had once asked, his voice soft and unwavering to the small flutist who never seemed to leave her sight on him; if it were possible.

No response was given.

Just a small smile, and that faint scent of daisies lingering in his mind as she walked past him, her brown hair lost in the crowd of students that were busy hustling to their next class in the hallways.

x-x-x

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><p>x-x-x<p>

"_Supposedly you've got something else to do? It's becoming rather old, seeing you over here every day, sticking to me like glue."_

Words like these were something one would not normally hear from a calm person like King; but everyone had their bad days.

The eldest of Class Zero, however, had only two during the period of time Deuce decided to study him.

"_I suppose you're still mad over what happened just now. I'll leave you alone."_

Her voice was soft. Gentle, even a little motherly to the ears of King. He felt his heart wrench, her words echoing in his mind as he scolded himself of saying that to Deuce.

_"I'm sorry."_

No longer to able to stop the guilt that took over his mind, King ran after the petite brunette and apologized for his behavior; the second time he got mad at her resulting in something similar to the first.

He could never stay angry at a girl like her, could he?

x-x-x

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><p>x-x-x<p>

It wasn't a while until Kurasame decided to pair them up for a new mission for the first time-seeing how close the two was in comparison to the relationships King had with the rest of the girls in the class.

Of course, he wasn't able to stop the teasing from his fellow classmates, as always.

Not that he minded.

"_Gotten a new girlfriend, King?"_

Jack had joked with him once, while on the way to practice. Although coming off as a rather sudden remark, King had grown far too used to these comments to be taken aback.

And with a rare smile on his face, he would reply:

"_No, just a guardian angel."_

It was true, King found out in one way or another during their period together as comrades. By far, she was the most satisfying comrade he had come across, her abilities maybe even better than some in Class Zero. And to top it all off, there was that time where they actually held a long conversation; he was happy for the chance to gain insight into her personality, seeing as he didn't interact with her often despite seeing her the most.

And for the first time, King realized that he was more interested in the petite flutist than he thought.

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

"_You're not that dense, are you?"_

King remarked once, when he finished practice and came out to greet her as always.

Somehow, he got used to it. The smiles directed to him, the comfortable silence that frequently fell between the both of them, the emerald eyes that shone of gentleness…

It soon became a sight he often wondered how he had lived without.

"_Perhaps. I doubt anyone would be innocent after being in Class Zero, going out on missions so frequently like that."_

She had directly looked him in the eye, her gaze unwavering as a smile appeared faintly on her lips.

"_What do you think?"_

King remembered flinching; No one had used such a gentle tone on him before, and the expression on her face-

"_I think, that it's a little amusing everyone treats you like an innocent kid who doesn't know a thing about how romantic relationships work. Do you?"_

She giggled, he remembered, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. The sunlight bathing around her, a lazy and slow-paced atmosphere setting onto the both of them, and the way she looked into his eyes-

"_I'm rather well-informed about the subject, to be honest. I'm just not the type of person to talk about it. Besides, my image as the innocent one in class has already stuck with me throughout all these years. I wouldn't bother changing everyone's opinion of me."_

King expected this sort of reply from her back then, choosing to end the conversation with silence as he took a glance at her more than he would have liked.

He finally spoke up, regretting the words he said once they came out of his mouth. He did, however, notice how her face blushed, how the smile fitted so perfectly onto those lips of hers…

It was almost enchanting.

And finally, their hands touched, their fingers fitting perfectly with each others', another afternoon of them both, walking together.

With their hands intertwined this time, of course.

"_You're just too beautiful… I suppose I didn't realize that I wasn't kidding when I told Jack that you were my guardian angel."_

x-x-x_  
><em>

* * *

><p>That's a cheesy ending because it's currently five in the morning for me and my brain isn't working.<p>

No I don't like making up excuses, so forget that.

Constructive criticism is **_ALWAYS _**welcome.

Review if you can.

This fic isn't written for anybody this time. It's for myself, to cheer me up because I'm going through a hard time through life now.

So save me the bashing.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Notes:**_

__Yes, I've made a few mistakes for the last chapter, so I would take this small space to clear up some issues and problems I had... (Thanks to Yuki Minamoto and Saranghayo for the problems the both of you mentioned)

1. This is a one-sided fic; I'm trying out a new writing style...

2. That last chapter wasn't a one-shot, as you probably know by now. ;D

3. And it seems King isn't the eldest in Class Zero. Well, sorry for that mistake, but I won't go back and change the chapter because I like to document the mistakes I make. Sometimes not for grammatical errors.

Anyways.

Enjoy~

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

He knows she's hiding something.

"_You are always free to talk to me about it, Deuce. Anytime."_

He would tell her; make sure she remembers that he _cares_.

"_About…?"_

She pretends she doesn't know what he was referring to, putting on that innocent façade everyone believes in, returning to being the sweet and naive girl she always was.

But contrary to her beliefs, he _understands_ the flutist, even though he was the one being watched every day.

"_I'm not going to force you to talk about it, alright? Just call me if you need anything, I'll be there, no matter how late."_

It suddenly became a weekly routine; telling her that he would do his best to cheer her up when she needed him.

She did, or at least it was what he thought so. If not him, then someone else who is close to her.

"_Thank you."_

A small smile would never cease to spread across her lips, and her eyes; at last, would finally show a hint of tiredness. It almost saddens him to see Deuce this troubled, but for now… Nothing could be done for her, seeing how stubborn she was as an individual.

He knew his words were sincere, but what does _she _think?

x-x-x

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><p>x-x-x<p>

He never understood what was it that drove Deuce to see him day after day, whenever he was done practicing, somehow.

Well King was glad, of course, but…

"_Won't you ever get bored of this?" _

He recalled asking, raising an eyebrow of his as he met Deuce outside training grounds like he usually did-and liked.

"_Why would I?"_

She responded, her eyes darting over to her companion as they rested on one of the benches in the gardens.

"_Well… Wouldn't it be boring, watching me shoot bullets?"_

Deuce chuckled, a faint smile on her lips as she leaned towards her tall companion, her scent of daisies now evident to him as her brown hair slid forward her shoulders and grazed his.

"_Your eyes are pretty."_

And after that, everything pretty much became a blur as she answered his previous question, standing up and walking away after as she remembered having something she needed to do that afternoon.

x-x-x

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><p>x-x-x<p>

"_Is King dating Deuce?"_

His hand had screeched to a stop as he was about to knock on Jack's door, knowing that Eight would be in his room as well.

"_What? Deuce? No way, she's just… too innocent."_

His hand had fallen back to his side, and he frowned as he debated whether it was appropriate to eavesdrop on his two classmates.

"_I don't know, man. Everything's possible."_

Arching an eyebrow, he had decided that he would just listen to the rest of his classmates' conversation anyway; just for his own sake, even though guilt still clawed at his conscience.

"_It's Deuce we're talking about, you know. DEUCE."_

Smiling at how Deuce had left an innocent girl's impression on everyone's mind, King blushed slightly as his thoughts wandered to earlier a few days, whereas Deuce commented on how 'pretty' his eyes were.

"…_Well, I suppose she's too naïve for a relationship."_

Frowning as he realized that he missed some part of Jack and Eight's conversation, he strained his ears even more, but alas disappointed for the fact that he might have missed some important part of this particular conversation.

Finally deciding to knock on the door, King frowned as he wondered how in the world was he going to rid his mind of thoughts that all centered on the petite brunette that day…

x-x-x

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><p>x-x-x<p>

"_Really, try to be more careful next time, Deuce."_

It wasn't a rare sight for King to see his 'stalker' bruised or bleeding as she hurried to meet him in the school gardens as always, with, of course, an uncharacteristically nonchalant look on her face.

A frown would appear on his face, his eyebrows scrunched together as frustration settled in his tone as he told Deuce to be more alert of her surroundings.

"_Still a klutz, huh."_

Smiling, he would pat her head whenever Deuce came out of the clinic, and a meek smile from her would always follow suit, unintentionally making him chuckle.

"_Can't help it, could I?"_

She would always giggle, a light chime that reminded him of the melodies of her flutes.

"_Just try."_

The topic would end, and it was just the same things repeating themselves whenever another situation like this appeared.

But sometimes, he couldn't help but wish he was there every moment to remind her of the obstacles in her path.

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

"_Really, you prefer your guns over me?"_

His petite classmate had snapped one day, a small pout forming on her lips as he was polishing his guns.

"_I was listening…"_

He had looked up, forming eye contact with Deuce, surprised at the sudden outburst of hers. Conversations between the both of them had always been like that, and King thought that she was used to the fact that King didn't usually look at her while she talked, even if it was a little rude. But nonetheless, he _did _listen to every one of Deuce's words; he always did.

"_Well I simply can't comprehend how in the world are your guns more important than me."_

King was confused at that point, yet slightly amused at the same time. Deuce had sounded like she was his girlfriend, and somehow he found himself grinning at the mere thought. Sure, they had held hands, shared a number of ridiculously cheesy conversations with each other, but that _really_ was it for the both of their love lives…

But returning to the original topic; since _when_ was she this picky about how much attention he seemed to give her?

"_Wait- Are you crying?"_

Noticing the small tear that glided down Deuce's cheek, King's thoughts had come to a halt, suddenly panicking as he wondered about how to console the small flutist.

If it were any other girl from Class Zero, the gunman would have known what to do, but considering that this was _Deuce _he was talking to…

"_Hmph."_

Giving King a small glare before wiping the tear off her cheek and gathering her books, Deuce stood up and walked out of King's sight, leaving him slightly embarrassed as he suddenly felt that he was the spotlight in the cafeteria.

"_Has she been spending too much time with Queen or…."_

Suddenly remembering the difference in Deuce's hair; King mentally slapped himself for not noticing that Deuce actually let her hair down and curled it a little; even putting on a little make-up similar to that of Cinque's…

"_Women."_

Slumping back down onto his seat, he chuckled and half-sighed as he thought of how he should apologize to the particularly stubborn girl regarding his behavior of not paying her enough attention as he should…

"_I guess even Deuce would feel annoyed at times… But then…Well she _did_ look rather cute with her hair down…"_

Clearing his tray, he had walked off with a grin on his usually expressionless face, surprising quite a number of students he walked past that day.

x-x-x

* * *

><p>Well I <em>do <em>hope this was better than the last.

And feel free to PM me or state in your review if you still have some questions regarding this whole... fic.

Anyways.

Constructive criticism is **_ALWAYS _**welcome.

Review if you can.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Notes:**_

I think my writer's block's starting to kick in.

I'm not satisfied with this chapter, and it's sickeningly cheesy to me.

Anyways, many thanks to gingerbreadbear for being such a rabuy and wonderful onee-chan.

*clears throat*

I don't know how to go back to the writing style I used in Chapter 1 and 2. This is a weak attempt to copy the last one I used... ;A;

Prepare to be disappointed in this chapter. ;A;

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

He's aware that she isn't satisfied with her own body.

"_Your height isn't that bad, Deuce… Besides, you're growing, aren't you?"_

He would reassure her, tell her that she's completely fine like that, but-

"_But we'd still have this much height between us…"_

She would complain, using her hands as a tool to show the rough difference between themselves, and it never failed to amuse King on how much she cared about such a tiny little detail like this.

Especially when she fails to recognize how suggestive she sounds….

"_Well I prefer you like this…"_

Flash her another smile, and she would blush, muttering a soft 'thank you' before trying to find an excuse to get out of the classroom.

"_Now isn't she a cute one…"_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

He knows for a fact that he's as silent as usual when Deuce is by his side. How had she ended up understanding so much about him; was something he could never figure out.

But he was happy that she did.

"_It's almost impossible to believe that you know this much about me."_

King had told her once, a small grin on his face as he studied the brunette in front of him, her hand bringing the cup of tea to her lips as she sampled the tea he had ordered for her.

"_You do know that I spend more time with you than anyone else?"_

She had stated the obvious at that point, but still King was confused as to how Deuce would be able to tell his mood every day.

"…_You're observant."_

He said, unable to think of a response to her last words. It wasn't that he didn't know, but as far as he could tell, Deuce had only been staring at him for the past few months and only started to _really _converse with King recently.

"_Well, at least I'm aware that you don't necessarily smile when you're happy."_

Her eyes were downcast; he remembered, staring into the cup of tea she then held in her hands, and King felt as if his soul was sucked out as she looked back up at him, only to switch her focus back to the cup of tea after a few seconds, as if struck by an embarrassing thought.

"_You seem like you know everything about me."_

Her eyes had flickered back to him, and one of her eyebrows were raised gracefully, an expression that he didn't see very often from the flutist.

"_There are, some things I wish I knew about you. And besides… it's inevitable. I suppose you would just have to deal with it if you don't like me to know about your habits. Though if you ask me, I like to be aware of some things other people don't know about you."_

The conversation had abruptly came to an end by then, leaving the both of them to their own thoughts as they continued to bask in the peaceful atmosphere in the café. King, however, didn't feel relaxed at all, more so flustered and unsettled even if his expression hadn't changed.

Well, of course, he couldn't be more ecstatic to hear those words from _Deuce, _out of all people.

After all, the last thing he wanted for her was to feel bored of his presence.

And King was rather sure that he enjoyed her by his side more than anyone else.

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

"_Want to talk about it?"_

He had come across a red-eyed Deuce one day, the remnants of tears still lingering on her face as he found her sitting by herself on one of the benches in the school gardens, staring into nowhere in particular until he came along.

"_N-no…"_

She had muttered to him, her voice hoarse as she shook her head in a rather tired manner, and although the sight didn't go as far as to 'shatter his heart', he did feel rather unpleasant towards that particular someone who had caused her to cry.

Taking the empty spot beside Deuce, King had felt Deuce lean her head against his shoulder, her gaze fixed on the sky as she tried to calm herself down.

"_Why do you always appear when I'm feeling sad? You're starting to make me think that it's not coincidental every time we meet."_

Her voice was rather soft, and King knew that she still felt somewhat horrible to have that tone while she spoke.

"_It's not. I thought you'd know that by now; that I always look for you when I'm done with training and studying."_

A chuckle had come from her, and he felt Deuce lean against him even more as she rubbed one of her eyes and yawned.

"_So I mean less to you than training and studying?"_

She attempted a light-hearted joke to lift the mood up, her eyes fluttering close as she rested her hand against her forehead.

"_Well I guess it's safe to say that you mean far more, but I couldn't abandon these two activities to spend time with you, as much as I'd like to, could I?"_

He reasoned with her, wanted her to understand that he needed himself to be at his best at all times. King always liked to keep things safe, make sure everything was going to be alright if he had accidentally landed himself in trouble one day.

"_I want you to."_

King hears her say, the degree of stubbornness clear from the tone in her voice. A small smile fitted onto his lips, and he let himself relax and just enjoy the touch of her back that leaned on his side, her head still resting on his shoulders.

"_Well if you put it that way..."_

Her hand found his somehow; their fingers intertwined as King inhaled the scent of daises that seemed to follow the brunette whenever she went, the smell still fresh in his mind from his last encounter with her.

"_It seems as I have nothing to do today."_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>Sheesh this is even worse than the first.<p>

And feel free to PM me or state in your review if you still have some questions regarding this whole... fic.

Anyways.

Constructive criticism is **_ALWAYS _**welcome.

Maybe not. ;A; *knows she failed in this chapter*

Review if you can.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Notes:**_

Merry Christmas everyone!

So yeah, this chapter is later than usual because no one's online on fanfiction dot net that wants to talk to me as of late, and I've kind of lost my motivation for this until I picked up my RP with a friend of mine...

And yes, I have a few more fics coming up soon right after Watched's next chapter. (Not the last, no)

A Seven-centred fic, anyone?

Anyways, I've poured a large amount of brain juice into this short, puny chapter, well. :/

I **_do _**hope all of you readers would like it!

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

He knows he dislikes it when Deuce receives too much attention from other… more attractive male students of the peristylium.

"_Ahaha, you're not jealous, are you?"_

She had chuckled gently at that point, winking at him playfully after noticing him give more than a stare to the boys she had talked to. Squinting at him as they walked slowly towards the cafeteria, she grinned, and he found himself wondering why didn't he make this a part of his daily routine earlier before.

Was Deuce just like… _this_ when he was around, he never knew, but still, he was glad.

And he dared say, that he thought himself as someone special to her.

And somehow, he was more used to the more extroverted side of her, although she still maintained the soft, quiet voice she frequently used, never raising her voice unless she was troubled or necessary.

"_I'd be lying if I said I was not."_

He lets himself say, a small frown crossing his lips as he shoves his hands into his pockets.

"_Aww, how cute… No, don't worry, I'm still going to wait for you to finish practicing every day as usual."_

King had raised his eyebrow, his expression telling of confusion as he reflected on what Deuce had said.

"…_Cute?"_

His eyebrows were scrunched up as she giggled, skipping in front of him as she refused to give him a response.

But of course, he wouldn't mind _her_ using that adjective on him at all… would he?

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

Smiles; he knew, had become a more and more common occurrence on his usually stern expression as the days went past.

And King, for one, welcomed the change, even if it was not intended.

"_You're not dating someone, are you? You're having that goofy grin on your face again, it sort of creeps me out, to be honest."_

King started to hear sentences like these, knowing full well that he really _had _changed ever since he started being closer to Deuce.

He would snort, smirk a little and glance over to Deuce if she was there, and he knew that smiling on instinct once he caught sight of her couldn't be prevented- whether she noticed him staring at her again or not.

"_I'm not dating anyone; no."_

He would only allow himself a few seconds to gaze at the flutist's face, careful not to be too obvious as he turned back to whoever he was speaking with, changing the topic to another to avoid any further questions.

But he wonders if anyone had ears sharp enough to just catch him finish his last sentence regarding their inquiries of him having a girlfriend, just under his breath as he would take a last peek at the brunette again, almost unable to stop looking at her for a moment.

"_Not yet."_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

"…_You haven't been sleeping much lately."_

He sees a scowl on the pretty features on that face of hers, choosing not to comment as he just shrugged as a response, knowing full well that Deuce was _aware _that he often stayed up late at night to study just in case.

"_King… Take care of yourself. Studying and training can come later, and besides- you might perform badly during the examinations if you haven't caught much rest."_

He grunts, thinking over those words of hers as he lets out a small yawn, nodding his head slowly as he felt Deuce tug his head gently onto her lap, feeling the soft fabric of her skirt rustle underneath his mullet; resisting that urge to fall asleep as he yawns once more.

"…_That's it. You're taking the day off; no training for you for now."_

The scowl deepens on her face, displeasure evident in her expression. It amuses him, how her pretty features could convey _this _much frustration, yet still making him feel like his heart skipped a beat as he glances up to her face.

"_Mnn…"_

He mumbles, positive that he would never be able to convince Deuce to let him continue practicing, seeing how stubborn she was as an individual.

"_Alright, you're going back to your dorm…"_

He lifts himself up from her lap, watching as the small brunette take his hand as he stands up, tugging him slowly to the boys' dormitory, and he feels his eyelids become heavier and heavier by the second, sometimes shutting it completely for just a second or two.

"_Girls aren't allowed in here…"_

He warns her as they reach the entrance of the boys' dormitory, her hand still clasping his as she led him to his room without a second thought, a lazy smile crossing his lips as he gives his keys to her, letting her open the door to his own dorm, the both of them taking off their own shoes as they walked in.

"_Rest well, alright?"_

King nods his head lazily as she rests a hand upon his forehead to see if he was sick, a concerned look on her face as she sighs.

"_At least you're not sick…"_

He sees her point towards his bed with an arrogant look, her scowl still etched on her face as he slips under the blanket, not bothering to change his clothes as he shoves the pillow onto the floor as he groans, unintentionally making Deuce giggle.

"_Sweet dreams…"_

He hears her whisper to him in his ear, her breath tickling his senses as the fragrance of daises continue to overwhelm him again, leaving him breathless as she placed a kiss on his forehead.

"_Night, King."_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>I consider this as a rather poorly-written chapter, hee.<p>

I had to edit it five times to at least make it look presentable...

Ah well.

As you all know...

Constructive criticism is **_ALWAYS _**welcome.

Review if you can.

(Should I turn on anonymous reviews soon? No one reviewed the third chapter except for one person and I'm feeling really sad about that...)


	5. Bonus Chapter

_**Author's**_** Notes:**

This is a bonus chapter, following from Chapter 4...

And it's kind of horribly cheesy, to be honest, so prepare yourselves~

I've had the entire story planned out already, and decided that it'll have six chapters more after this bonus one...

So 10 chapters and a bonus chapter, and this is going to have a little puny M/T rated sequel...

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p>He realizes that it's drawing attention; the way he would constantly brush his finger against his forehead, exactly where Deuce had kissed him days ago.<p>

"…_Your mullet is fine, King…"_

He remembered Queen raising an eyebrow as they discussed some class matters together, something about Nine and his grades- and for the first time, King's actually not paying attention to what a classmate has to say, his mind filled with nothing but visions of a particular brunette…

"…_King? I'll talk to you later…"_

He sees her chase up to Nine in front of the classroom, stifling a soft yawn as a new question struck him all of a sudden.

_Since when did Deuce know where his dorm room was located?_

He frowns, looking over to the flutist across the room, talking with Cater as she gathered up her books, forming eye contact with him as she walked towards the door, nodding once towards him like how they usually greeted each other. In class, at least…

"_Ah, King?"_

Cater's voice rings in his ear, and his eyes shift its place to his other classmate- seeing the confident smirk on her lips as she asked him if he would like to join them on their way to lunch.

"_Sure…"_

He says, making his way to them with his hands in his pockets, sight trained to the floor as he followed the two girls to the cafeteria, his gaze never lifting as he resumed his walk, trailing the two girls from behind while he was lost in his own thoughts.

"_...King?"_

He hears a different version; a different pitch- from one of his favorite voices, and he looks up to see the exact same Deuce, head tilted slightly whereas her hands were placed behind her back, smiling shyly as he looked up at him- and he sees a more childlike, a more… innocent impression of her shown to him for once.

King finds himself intrigued by how she manages to appear this… _carefree_, in a sense, nothing like the troubled side of her that he frequently tries to comfort- the more mature, the more… thoughtful side of her that always saw things in an overly realistic view, that one side that had long grown tired of the ways of the world, or so he thought…

"_King."_

He sees her pull on his arm, her pitch now returned to 'normal' as she tiptoed to raise her hand against his forehead, feeling his temperature to ensure he wasn't sick- the motherly touch now returning to her façade, her worried gaze searching his face as he felt his heart being tugged by grief when notices the swollen eyes; the black undertones around her emerald orbs-

"_I'm fine."_

A frown crosses her pretty features, and her eyebrows were creased- a mirror of his usual stern expression, he notices.

"_Really."_

He attempts a smile- but fails; choosing to lightly stroke her cheek instead, knowing the concerned look in his eyes did not go unseen as her frown deepens.

"_Alright then… I'll meet you after training."_

She breathes into his ear, gaze fixed on him as she returns her attention to Cater, the red-head paying no attention to the intimate conversation she just witnessed, leaving King alone with his thoughts- to his dismay, for all he wants right then was to embrace her, tell her that he could be relied on- and how she shouldn't be so stubborn, keeping all her troubles to herself when she's already _this _tired…

But he decides that it was for another time, and for now…

All he could do was watch.

* * *

><p>Cheesy, wasn't it?<p>

Ah well.

And again...

Constructive criticism is **_ALWAYS _**welcome.

Review if you can.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Author's Notes:**_

My writing muse's starting to disappear, so this chapter's style _might _seem a little different than usual.

School is starting soon, so I might not update that often...

It's not something major, anyways.

Only five chapter left, so I think I'll manage to finish this around March?

Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

Though he himself always thought that he was no expert on Deuce, it _did_ seem a little weird to King that she actually stopped smelling of daises one day, replacing her almost trademark scent with a strong rose one.

"_Ahh. No, I ran out of that daisy perfume a few days ago…. I don't know, how does this one smell on me?"_

She had chuckled, her hand toying around with the cuff of her sleeve as he brought up the topic one day after practice, the brunette accompanying him as always as they rested on a bench in the gardens.

"…_I prefer your old one."_

King had replied after a brief silence, feeling slightly awkward about the topic even though he couldn't exactly pinpoint why.

"_Is that so…"_

Deuce muttered, sliding further back onto the wooden support as she grinned, humming a cheerful tune softly for a few seconds before speaking up once more.

"_You're probably the only one who I could ask about perfumes, you know. I'm sorry, but you're stuck with the title of my unofficial perfume advisor for now…"_

She tells him, rubbing her right eye as she shook her head with a smile, causing King to naturally match hers with one of his own.

"…_Well, you did say that you spend the most time with me. Guess it's only normal."_

Giving a soft 'hmnn' as a response, Deuce giggled, nodding her head as she leaned her head against his arm, something they somehow managed to find themselves doing every single day.

"_I'll just hope things would stay that way, then."_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

It was never something unknown from the start.

King _knows _a swollen eye when he sees one, regardless of how much make-up she tries to hide it with.

"_Deuce."_

Mustering a stern voice was never something King had found difficult to do, seeing as he usually spoke in one, and though he dislikes it when strangers get scared of him because of this particular aspect, it _did _rather come in handy when he was talking about something serious to the ones he cared about…

Well, King always had his own ways to deal with things.

"_I'm not going to take it."_

She had folded her arms and averted her gaze elsewhere, her lips pressed into a thin line as she pouted, leaning back against her chair as King stood in front of her seat in the classroom.

"_You are going to wish I never appeared in your life."_

He raised an eyebrow, wondering what in the world had caused her to be this hesitant to accept the present in his hand, knowing her as someone who normally doesn't refuse gifts like these from him…

"_Alright! Fine! Give it to me!"_

Snatching over the keys on his open palm, Deuce grinned absent-mindedly at the metal objects in her hand, chuckling lightly as she placed it carefully in the pocket of her bag.

"_You are going to regret this, King. Mark my words."_

Deuce smiled gleefully, her blush now a rosy tint on her cheeks while she stood up and made her way over to King, accompanying him to practice as always.

"_You make it sound like it's the end of the world for me."_

King stated, glancing over to the petite brunette right next to him. She was rather excited, from what he could see, and her walking pace was faster than usual as she hummed a fast tune.

"_Well, you'll see me at your dorm often enough."_

King chuckled, nodding his head as he sighed. It seemed as if he was unable to convince her that he _really _didn't mind her coming to his dorm frequently, though he _did _if she didn't when she needed someone to talk to…

"_You _know _why I give you the spare keys to my dorm, Deuce. You can come whenever you want, but don't refrain yourself when you need someone to talk to. No matter how late."_

He told her, seeing the grin on her face fade away as she nodded, feeling the atmosphere turn heavy between the both of them.

"…_I won't."_

Watching her stop in her tracks and give him another smile, having that rarely-seen fatigued look in her eyes once more, King halted in his own steps and gave her a brief nod, not wanting to make the atmosphere intensify between them even though it wasn't uncomfortable, to say the least.

"_How did you know where my dorm was located, anyways?"_

King inquired, having not recalled the time he had told her about the location of his room, a confused look crossing his face as he chose to sit down on a nearby bench.

"_I have my own ways… And I hope you didn't forget that girls aren't allowed at the boys' dormitory when you gave me these."_

Deuce dangled the spare keys to his room in front of his face, her cheerful demeanor back as she returned it to its original position in her bag.

"_I won't prod, then…"_

King shrugged, smirking as he sees the flutist wink at him, stretching her arms as she stood in front of him.

"_Tired?"_

Closing his eyes and yawning a little, King shook his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling Deuce's hand on his forehead as he leaned back against the bench.

"_Why do you assume I'm always sick?"_

He asks, opening his left eye to glance up at the girl in front of him. True, he didn't sleep much, and rarely took days off, but it doesn't necessarily mean he didn't know how to take care of himself…

"_Still a possibility…"_

He hears her mumble, sitting down next to him as he stretched his arms, feeling energized and ready for practice again.

"_You seriously deserve the title of the 'Mother' of Class Zero more, Deuce…"_

King sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time that day, smiling softly as he felt her head lean against his shoulder, falling asleep instantly as King cancelled practice for the third time in a month…

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

"_How you always manage to study this much, King, is beyond me."_

A common visitor ever since King gave her the spare keys to his dorm, Deuce had picked up the habit of going to King's place nearly every night to study alongside him for a few hours, sometimes just to fool around with him whenever she was bored.

"…_You just have a short attention span, Deuce."_

He tells her, a smirk crossing his lips as she saw the brunette pout and roll her eyes, though he knew he had to speak for himself too, seeing how many times the flutist had snatched his focus away from the textbook he held in her hands every single time…

"_My stalker tendencies are just kicking in…"_

King snorted, chuckling a little as he raised one of his eyebrows. Was he really _that _interesting to observe? He always thought of himself as someone dull and boring, especially after noticing how people never really took the initiative to speak to him before.

"_Your eyebrows, King. It's your eyebrows. They move so often, it's entertaining."_

Closing his textbook, King stared at Deuce for a full five minutes, neither of them speaking as they just continued to stare at each other; with King just studying how Deuce managed to lose some baby fat in her cheeks, her face now more oval than round compared to before.

"_So, Deuce, how does it feel to have someone scrutinize you like that for hours?"_

He asked, watching the corner of her lips lift upwards gracefully as she chuckled, another light chime coming from her as she thought of a response.

"_You're asking the wrong person, King. I'm not a person who feels awkward when _you _stare at me."_

Blushing faintly as he thought about Deuce's reply, King shook his head as he grinned, knowing full well that he _was _asking the correct person regarding the matter of being stared at.

"_Well then, good news to hear that you don't mind too."_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>I have everything for this fic planned out already, actually.<p>

I just have no idea how to phrase my thoughts into beautiful words.

People are commenting on how ridiculously cheesy and illogical this fic is, since it's not everyone's beloved AcexDeuce, but sorry, I can't care less.

I _do _care, however, if you have some points to pick out and just not bash the fic like a twelve-year old.

Coincidentally, most people I know who _did _bash this, are twelve year olds.

Boo.

Sorry for that rant, everyone!

It's just something I really have to get off my chest for now.

And again!

Constructive criticism is **_ALWAYS _**welcome.

Review if you can.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Author's Notes:**_

Hi everyone...

I'm starting school soon, more like _tomorrow_, so I figured that I might as well quickly write as much as I can before I have no time left for this fic.

And an AcexDeuce one-shot is in progress, too. It's taking me forever to write, though, seeing as the disinterest I have in Ace is affecting me in more ways than one...

As far as I know, I suck at writing AcexDeuce. Yeah.

Oh, and special thanks to Aria94 for reviewing _**EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY CHAPTERS!**_

Yes, the A.N. this time is taking so much longer than usual because I'm pretty depressed by the fact that no one other than this wonderful person here reviewed my bonus chapter and onwards. :/

Ah well, not one to complain, seeing as everyone here loves AcexDeuce, I suppose?

Whatever to my own rantings.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

It was evident that she was making a huge impact on his daily life, tweaking it in more ways than one.

"…_And this will be the seventeenth time I've cancelled practice for this month."_

Earning a small giggle from the brunette sitting across him, King shook his head and smiled, running a hand through his mullet as he rolled his eyes at her.

Once again, Deuce had decided to pull him out of the peristylium before he had a chance to step into the training grounds to practice, complaining that apparently, his guns were stealing all his attention away lately.

"_Come on. It wouldn't hurt to go out more, would it?"_

Placing back the cup of tea back onto the table, King sees a tired smile on her lips before another one of her confident grins took its place, and it was obvious - Deuce had something on her mind.

Well, whatever it was, it sure didn't seem like good news to him.

"_I guess so…"_

King had replied, eyes still on the brunette as he sighed again, knowing full well that he _could _have stopped her from taking him out- King just didn't see the need to.

And for once, he actually felt that training was… well, _boring_.

"_I feel like I'm getting too attached to you…"_

He watches his small companion frown, staring out of the window as she took another sip of her tea, the sunlight giving her skin a warm glow as she leaned towards the window even more.

And once again, King finds himself wondering just _how _in the world did his other classmates think of Deuce as someone naïve and childlike, whereas all he managed to see was a beautiful, fine young woman who was probably more intelligent than she seemed.

"_Talk about me."_

King knows that not a day went past without him seeing Deuce for the past few months, and it _showed _if he was too busy glancing at her at the corner of his eye instead of focusing on the targets that he had to shoot for practice.

"_Is it… a bad thing?"_

Her voice was quiet as she continued to study the row of trees that lined the street across the restaurant they were in, and King found himself confused on why she was paying them so much attention. Dismissing it later as nothing particularly symbolic, King shook his head and returned his focus to Deuce once more.

Cringing slightly as King noticed how heavy the atmosphere between him and Deuce had become, instinct tells him that he was correct when he suspected that she was thinking of something bad-

Or was it just his understanding of her, instead of his so-called instinct?

"_I hope not."_

He sees her smile faintly as a response to his words, that thoughtful and caring façade returning to her once more- and he avoids her gaze, rather positive that he would do something ungentlemanly to release her of the burdens of her mind-

"_Kurasame sensei sent me on another mission with Trey and Eight."_

It took quite a while for him to clearly understand Deuce's words, his eyes widening as he feels a surge of panic rush through him with another emotion-

What was it?

Anger, or fear?

He couldn't tell.

"_King…"_

Refraining from speaking up in fear of losing control of himself and disrupting the silence and peace in the restaurant, King chose to nod silently instead, feeling his head heat up even though he was already trying his best to calm himself down.

"_How long will it last?"_

He inquires, pinching the bridge of his nose as he continues his efforts to think reasonably once more- wishing that he could take her place in that particular mission, or in the least accompany and protect her on the way-

"_Three days."_

Inhaling a deep breath while he waits for the panic to subside, King only feels a new sense of dread swelling up at the back of his mind, the scowl on his face menacing and hateful as he raised a hand to his forehead.

"_I'll wait. When are you going?"_

King asks, willing himself to look Deuce in the eye, only to have his fists curl up as he observes her failing to attempt the slightest of smiles, cursing the empire under his breath as he shifts his gaze away.

"_The day after tomorrow…"_

Silence falls between the both of them once more, and King shuts his eyes again- hoping that Deuce would return to his side in one piece even though he _knows _that the brunette was fully capable of protecting herself; having been on countless missions before….

What was it in him that triggered such an uncharacteristic response, he didn't know, but-

Since when was he this emotional about missions?

King had always been a calm and reserved person, never losing his cool even when things seemed hopeless for him and his classmates, understanding that not one person in Class Zero was able to escape from the harsh reality, and that danger was a part of their lives…

Even the slightest mistake in their missions might cause them to all… die.

He used to be so… _collected_ and logical.

Of course, until the time where Deuce had stepped into his life- suddenly becoming an essential part of it, always able to lighten up his days…

King wasn't dense.

He _knows_ that they felt something for each other, or at least it was just one-sided on his part.

But after all the smiling, all that talking, all the moments they shared…. What they shared _had _to mean _something_… right?

King couldn't _possibly_ be in love with Deuce, could he?

x-x-x

* * *

><p>x-x-x<p>

"…_King. I'll be fine, really. Wipe that frown off your face, _please_…"_

Ignoring the other curious glances he earned from the other students that walked past in the hallways, King shook his head and shrugged, exhaling a deep breath as he thought of his next words.

"…_I don't know how."_

Taking his hand away and looking back down to his feet, King feels… _exhausted_ after listening to what Deuce had to say, even more so with the addition of the insomnia he was suffering from-

Would this day, too, be a restless one for him?

"_King…. Please. I just…."_

Deuce… She was bound to be speechless sooner or later. She _had _to be, after hours of trying to convince him that she would be entirely fine and that the three of them wouldn't have any big problems trying to accomplish the missions, but still…

Still, King wasn't able to stop the worry that ate him at the back of his mind.

"_Don't think too much, alright? We can talk about it tomorrow- rest first."_

Not feeling surprised as he he felt Deuce's hands snake up to the back of his neck and her breath hot on his skin, King returned the brief hug she gave her, pulling away after a few seconds so that she could head back to her dorm. Finally noticing the 9 cm boots that she wore that day, King understood just _what _was so odd about his classmate that day, not realizing that she had worn such shoes before.

Grinning almost sheepishly, King ran a hand through his mullet as he yawned quietly, shaking his head as he turned to walk back to his own room after seeing Deuce disappear round the corner.

"…_And how am I going to rest soundly with that?"_

x-x-x

* * *

><p>Constructive criticism is <strong><em>ALWAYS <em>**welcome.

Review if you can.

Argh. You know what, forget about this.

No one bothers to review these days!

Yes, I am very displeased.

Because of the little to no reviews I have, and that my AcexDeuce isn't working well.

Uh, no, not because they aren't my OTP, but more of because Ace is just so hard to write.

Personal opinion.

Yeah excuse the bad mood.

Thank you.


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